Native – TOUR TIPS

Indie/rock band, Native, have written a set of Tour Tips that you guys can learn from. You can check them out after the break.

1. Don’t make your first tour more than two weeks long. You’re still just getting your feet wet and going all out for your first time out always spells disaster. You’re always going to go broke and the shows are always going to be bad. There’s no such thing as a good first tour, so take it easy.
2. Make sure to work with sound promoters and book solid shows. It might be hard at times, but there are promoters out there who will run out on you, not bother to show up and then you’re left sitting with no idea what to do.
3. Befriend bands from other areas. This goes along with #2. If you strike up friendships with bands all over the country, you’ll have an easier time embarking on any tour because you’ll have their assistance and insight.
4. Be weary of the snacks you let your friends bring in the van. Plain kettle chips are fine, but funyuns and pizza flavored goldfish are a big no no. They’ll smell, they’ll sit, and they’ll go stale. Then you’re dealing with that stench for the rest of time and you’ve created your own personal hell.
5. Always burn mix CDs, or get a iPod adapter. Your drives are going to be long, you’re going to need music. No conversation lasts that long, and local radio stations always go out. Burn a CD of top 40 hits and prepare for all the fun you’ll have, because not only will the singalongs plague your drive at hand, but the songs will be stuck in your head the rest of the tour.

Make sure to check out Native on Facebook, Twitter and Myspace.